Beet the Vandel Buster – The Sacrifice (V. 1/Animé TV)

 

Picture: B-     Sound: C     Extras: D     Episodes: B

 

 

In the dark century demons and dark sorcery known as Vandel cover the lands, causing pain, terror and destruction, bring about the 'End Days'.  But standing between the demons and the destruction of mankind is a group of people who refuse to give into fate, these are the Vandel Busters.  The story however starts with a young boy named Beet. Beet admires and aspires to become like the strongest Vandel Busters.

 

This is a fairly strait forward and standard anime, filled with the standard young boy to be hero, growing and challenging his own future and potential. Along the way he meets friends and learns there is more to a fight than just appearances.  Watching the intro, and the first couple episodes you can see it will have the standard characters that will join hero of the series.  The childhood friend, the best friend... it sets up for the potential for both action and comedy.  A young hero to be guided by various wisdoms from friends constantly pulling him out of the fire.

 

What is unique is the influence of 'levels' the characters actually use to increase their strength and abilities as they fight monsters, usually this is know more in video games, but in this case it is in the anime.  Only complaint is the subtitling is a little overly large and a bit off at times, but once you got into it you hardly noticed it anymore.

 

 

Episode 1: The Dream Catcher

 

Beet as a child desires to become like his childhood heroes the Zenon Squad, headstrong signs up to become a Vandel Buster.  Only thing is he has no idea how to fight... and he challenges a demon that is too powerful for him.

 

Episode 2: Sacrifice

 

Beet after being rescued from his first battle, ends up as his fault the Zenon Squad being defeated.  As their last heroic deed the Zenon Squad sacrifices their life energies into their weapons, Saiga, to save Beet.

 

Episode 3: Bog of the Dead

 

Three years have passed, Beet growing along with Poala the young busters has been defending the village from the monsters faces the leader of the deadly marshes.

 

Episode 4: The Burning Lance

 

Poala worried about Beet not being experienced enough and challenging monsters too powerful for him is surprise that Beet can summon the Burning Lance from the fallen Zenon Squad member, but as danger increase does Beet have any other surprises?

 

The 1.33 X 1 image is more colorful than usual, while the sound is a surprisingly weak Dolby Digital 2.0 Stereo.  There are no extras.

 

 

-   Ricky Chiang